It takes me several seconds to realise that both my family and Issy are looking at me, waiting for me to speak.
I clear my throat. 'Um. Hi. Yeah,' is what comes out of my mouth. My voice sounds rusty from the near-silent seven hours in the car.
Issy looks at me. Her smile doesn't falter. 'Nice to meet you!'
She steps forward and engulfs me in a hug that I definitely wasn't expecting. I seem to have retreated inside myself over the past seven months, away from any physical contact, and this feels invasive, wrong, even. Still, I endure it for the sake of my parents, who want to see me make a fresh start, and for the sake of my reputation - I don't want the only person at uni I've met so far to think I'm some kind of freak.
I step backwards as soon as I ascertain that the hug has lasted an appropriate number of seconds, and Issy grins at me and begins to shake hands with each member of my family in turn, talking non-stop as she does so. 'I'm so glad you're here, Maya, I've been here three days already and have hardly seen anyone, I've just been sat in my room like a loser, I mean, I've spoken to the girls in the flat next door and they're okay, but I was really looking forward to you arriving, I think we'll get on so well, don't you, I'm from Exeter, so not too far really, it only took us about three hours to get here, what course are you on, by the way?' All this is said very fast and I see Mum take a tiny step backwards as though overwhelmed by the sheer velocity of her speech.
'Dance,' I mumble, casting a sideways look at Katie, who smiles at me reassuringly.
'No way,' she exclaims in surprise. 'Me too! They usually put you with people on different courses, I heard, so you get to know everyone, but maybe they ran out and had to put us together. At least we'll know each other on Monday, won't we, I was so worried I wouldn't know anyone, we can go in together in the morning!'
I nod, a rush of something that might have been relief filling my insides at the realisation that I won't have to go to my first class alone.
'Do you know our timetable yet?' I ask her, not wanting her to think I'm some kind of mute.
She shrugs, tucking a stray piece of blond hair behind her ear. 'All I know is we have to be in Studio Three at nine on Monday. I think we'll get given the timetables then.'
I nod, wondering what else I could say to make her think I'm interesting, but before I can open my mouth again, she says, 'Well, I'll let you get settled in, anyway. I can take you next door later if you like, to meet the other girls? They're not on dance, but they're nice enough, and there's some boys in the flat at the end of the corridor who seem alright, it might be nice for you to meet them before we start?'
'That sounds good,' I say, and she beams at me.
'Let me know if you need anything! It was nice to meet you all!'
And with that, she practically skips back to her room and shuts the door with a snap.
Mum, Dad, Katie and I look at one another.
'She seems nice,' says Mum brightly.
I nod, suddenly worried that I'll be too boring for Issy. She seems like the kind of girl who is friends with just about everyone, who goes out three nights a week and still gets all her work done, who somehow manages to go to the gym on top of all her dance classes. She was probably hoping for someone more dynamic than me, I think to myself glumly.
Though maybe this is what I need. A fresh start, in a new place, with new people who don't tread on eggshells around me, who don't know my past, who just treat me like a normal person. Maybe here I'll find the old Maya again.
